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May 19, 2010

Weekend in Niagara ~ Saturday

A few weeks ago we went back to the Niagara area for another Genealogy weekend. It was while we were there that we got the call about my mother in law being ill so things have been on hold for a while. Just wanted to share some of the things we did and saw while we were there...

Louth United Church and Maple Lawn Cemetery

Our first stop was at the Louth United Church and Maple Lawn Cemetery. This was my first visit to this church and cemetery. It is located on Third Louth Ave in St. Catharines, ON and is the final resting place of many of my maternal ancestors, particularly the HAYNES family. These are descendants of Adam HAYNES, UE and his wife, Elizabeth FROELICK who I wrote about here. Both my 3rd and 4th great-grandfather's are buried here.

The church was built in 1878 and has been in continuous operation until very recently. Apparently it has been closed due to lack of membership. Many family weddings, baptisms and funerals took place here over the past 100 years. The small graveyard behind the church is called Maple Lawn cemetery. I took a ton of photos here because there were just that many relatives. It seemed like almost everyone had a name that's in my tree.

After visiting this church, I realized that I have a collector's plate with a picture of the church on it. It belonged to my mother and it's been put away in a drawer for about 25 years because I had no idea what the significance of it was or why she had a plate with a church on it. When I returned home I got it out, dusted it off and hung it on the wall in the dining room. So now I know...

One thing I wasn't expecting to find was the gravestone of a boy who was a childhood friend. Our backyards backed on to each other and our families were good friends. I was stunned to see this so later in the day, I looked up his parents and gave them a call. I had a really nice long conversation with his Mom who I hadn't talked to since I was about 12 yrs old.

Christ Church McNab Church and Cemetery

Christ Church McNab is an Anglican church located on McNab Road at Lakeshore Rd in Niagara on the Lake. It is the burial spot of many of my HISCOTT ancestors. It is a beautiful country church surrounded by it's own cemetery. The church was built in 1853 and is still in full operation. Again, many photos were taken here and I spotted a couple of surnames posted by fellow Indiana Genea-blogger and newly discovered cousin, Tina from Gen Wish List so I shot a few for her as well.

Warner's Cemetery

Warner's Cemetery is located on Warner Road along side the Queen Elizabeth Way (a major highway) in Niagara Falls. It took us three tries to find it but we were rewarded in the end. This cemetery contains the plot of the VAN EVERY family including the grave of it's founder in Canada, McGregory VAN EVERY, UE. It is thought that McGregory's gravestone is the oldest in Ontario.

My interest in going here was twofold. First, I knew that fellow St. Louis Genea-blogger, John of TranylvanianDutch is a direct descendant of McGregory VAN EVERY and thought he would like some more photos. Secondly, McGregory's great-grandaughter, Eliza Jane VAN EVERY married my 1st cousin 5x removed, Rev. Frederick HAYNES. The old headstones were built into the interior of this 2 foot brick wall to preserve and protect them from further damage due to the proximity of the cemetery to the highway. I think the VAN EVERY plot with it's brick wall and built in headstones is the coolest plot I've seen yet.

St. Paul Street United Church (The Silver Spire)

We stopped by the St. Paul Street United Church in downtown St. Catharines after taking a coffee break. I wanted to take a look because I have come across this church many times in my maternal research and then I realized this was the same church where my own mother was baptized. I will be doing much more research on this church in the future but for now I just wanted to get a close up look and take a few pictures.

Dear Ancestor

Your tombstone stands among the rest;Neglected and alone.The name and date are chiseled outOn polished, marble stone.It reaches out to all who careIt is too late to mourn.You did not know that I existYou died and I was born.Yet each of us are cells of youIn flesh, in blood, in bone.Our blood contracts and beats a pulseEntirely not our own.Dear Ancestor, the place you filledOne hundred years agoSpreads out among the ones you leftWho would have loved you so.I wonder how you lived and loved,I wonder if you knewThat someday I would find this spot,And come to visit you.~ Author Unknown ~